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Corruption in Kenya's church: Bishop warns against donations to politicians!
A Kenyan bishop warns against political donations to churches and calls for self-criticism within the religion.
Corruption in Kenya's church: Bishop warns against donations to politicians!
Nairobi, March 8, 2025 (KAP) - Amid a deep economic crisis in Kenya, the Bishop of Nakuru, Cleophas Oseso, warns of the dangers of financial donations made by high-ranking politicians to churches. In his Ash Wednesday sermon, he urged caution and stressed that it was unclear where the enormous sums of money came from. “We must not be seen as beneficiaries while basic needs such as books in schools and medicines in hospitals are missing,” Oseso said, as reported by the Rome news portal Fides. He placed a clear focus on biblical teaching: Donations should be anonymous to ensure they are not used for campaign purposes or self-promotion.
Anger over state repayments to church health facilities is also acute. Kenya's bishops are demanding the settlement of outstanding debts of 2.5 billion Kenyan shillings (about 17 million euros) that have been outstanding since 2020. These debts primarily affect private, church-run hospitals, which provide essential services to many socially disadvantaged people. In this context, Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba of Kisumu, the chairman of the Kenyan Bishops' Conference, expressed sustained criticism of the government, which has only partially made the urgently needed payments. As a result, the Association of Private Hospitals has announced the suspension of services, which will further aggravate the already tense situation in the healthcare sector.
Criticism of corruption in the church
Archbishop Makumba also referred to his own institution in a recent sermon for the 2025 Lent campaign and called for self-critical reflection on corruption within the church. “When we talk about corruption, we should not only point the finger at the government, but also at ourselves,” he declared provocatively. He warns that symbolic “Towers of Babel” will emerge that, rooted in corruption, will collapse. Makumba emphasizes that there can be no future for Kenya unless injustice within faith communities is addressed, adding: “We must first get rid of corruption in our communities.” These profound reflections on a reform of values are of great importance, especially in a country that is currently facing challenges on several levels, as Vatican News' reporting confirms.